Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c5.56

v1.c5.56

From all these indications, the inference is not improbable that with the growth of a body of highly finished prose and poetical literature, the science of Poetics or at least the investigation of rhetorical rules made considerable progress by the end of the sixth century A. D. The earliest known writers on Poetics, who lived somewhat later, themselves refer to still earlier authorities. Thus Bhāmaha speaks of Medhāvin and others, whom he cites and whose work he avowedly utilises. Similarly Daṇḍin refers to earlier writings, and one of his commentators mentions in this connexion two theorists before Daṇḍin, viz, Kāśyapa and Vararuci, who are otherwise unknown to us as writers on Alaṃkāra. Apart from this fact of their own citation of earlier views, makes any allusion to Dharmakīrti’s literary activity (*Bulletin de l'Ecole d'Extreme Orient* 1903, p. 18).